Three Orioles named Gold Glove finalists (updated)

Shortstop J.J. Hardy, center fielder Adam Jones and right fielder Nick Markakis have been nominated for the Rawlings Gold Glove Awards. The winners will be announced on Nov. 4 on ESPN2 beginning at 7 p.m. The ceremonies will be held on Nov. 7 in New York. The Orioles had six nominees last year, but they have to settle for half that total in 2014. The selection process is approximately 75 percent votes submitted by managers and coaches - up to seven total votes per team - and 25 percent defensive metrics. Managers and coaches only cast votes in their own league and can't vote for players on their own team. Hardy won the award the past two seasons. He's joined as a finalist by the Royals' Alcides Escobar and the White Sox's Alexei Ramirez. Jones won it in 2009, 2012 and 2013. Other center fielder nominees are the Red Sox's Jackie Bradley Jr. and the White Sox's Adam Eaton. Markakis, who won it in 2011, is challenged by the Angels' Kole Calhoun and the Rays' Kevin Kiermaier. Third baseman Manny Machado wasn't named a finalist after winning Gold and Platinum Gloves last season. Catcher Matt Wieters, a two-time recipient, didn't make the cut after an elbow injury ended his season on May 10. Chris Davis, a finalist in 2013, also is excluded this year. Manager Buck Showalter recently endorsed second baseman Jonathan Schoop, but the rookie didn't make the list of finalists. A fourth Gold Glove would tie Jones with Jim Palmer, Mike Mussina and Bobby Grich for third-most in franchise history. Brooks Robinson won 16, Paul Blair eight and Mark Belanger eight. The Orioles have won 67 Gold Gloves, the most by any American League team. Only the Cardinals (84) have won more. I'll provide the complete list of finalists while updating this entry. Update: Hardy committed 13 errors in 594 chances for a .978 fielding percentage. I swear, it seems as though most of those errors came in the span of one week. Remember that defensive slump? Escobar made 16 errors in 669 chances for a .976 percentage, and Ramirez made 15 errors in 696 chances for a .978 percentage. Jones made six errors in 387 chances (.984 percent) and totaled seven assists, Bradley made one error in 307 chances (.997 percent) and had 13 assists, and Eaton made four errors in 325 chances (.988 percent) and had nine assists. Markakis didn't commit an error in 306 chances and registered 11 assists, Calhoun had one error in 240 chances (.996) and had nine assists, and Kiermaier made five errors in 145 chances (.966) and had three assists. With the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) accounting for 25 percent of the vote, there will be plenty of other stats (dWar, Rtot, Rdrs) that come into play to determine the winner. Jones' improvement, and his three double plays, could counter the six errors. Here's the complete list of AL Gold Glove nominees: C: Alex Avila, Yan Gomes, Salvador Perez 1B: Miguel Cabrera, Eric Hosmer, Albert Pujols 2B: Robinson Cano, Ian Kinslser, Dustin Pedroia SS: J.J. Hardy, Alcides Escobar, Alexei Ramirez 3B: Josh Donaldson, Adrian Beltre, Kyle Seager LF: Michael Brantley, Yoenis Cespedes, Alex Gordon CF: Adam Jones, Jackie Bradley Jr., Adam Eaton RF: Nick Markakis, Kole Calhoun, Kevin Kiermaier